Sign



L. C. LOTZ Nov. 5, 1929.

SIGN

Filed Oct. 22, 1927 INVENTOR .Zkozzard 011:

' ATToRNEi Patented Nov. 5, 1929 SIGN , This invention relates toimprovements in signs adapted for general use and for advertisingpurposes, and which are of such character that they are both clearlyvisible in daylight and subject to illumination at night. The inventionhas for itsprincipal object to provide a sign in which the letters,numerals or other symbols are pressed out of and are intgeral with abase sheet of pyroxylin material, which may be either transparent ortranslucent, and in which the letters, numerals or other symbols areembossed or raised above the face plane of the pyroxylin sheet so as tobe in relief with respect thereto. The invent-ionalso contemplates theprovision of means to provide a contrasting background surrounding theletters, etc., which back-ground may be opaque or of translucentmaterial of a color in contrast to the color of the letter bearingsheet. I

In a more specific aspect of this invention,

the same has for an object to provide a novel means for superimposingupon and attaching to the letter bearing sheet a background sheet tosurround the letters, etc., said background sheet in such casepreferably consisting of sheet metal, perforated to correspond to theletters, numerals, or symbols of the letter sheet.

time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from thefollowing detailed description of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a face View of a sign made according to and embodyingthe principles of this invention; Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate inperspective the various elements making up the sign as arrangedpreparatory to assembling the same to produce the finished sign in oneof the preferred forms according to this invention; Figure 5 1s a rearface view of a sign with the elements comprising the same in assembledrelation; Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken online 6-6 in Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of a signshowing portions of the background sheet broken away and other portionsthereof disassembled.

Other objects of this invention, not at this Application filed October22, 1927. Serial No. 227,898.

Similar characters of reference are em cate corresponding parts.

In the simplest form of sign, according to' the instant invention, Itake a sheet 10 of pyroxylin material and by means of properly prepareddies the sheet is moulded to produce integral therewith, and raised inrelief above the face surface of the same, the desired letters, numeralsor other symbols adapted to provide the sign legends desired, said partsbeing generally indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral 11.This sheet of pyroXylin material, with the letters integrally formed inraised relief relative to the face surface thereof, may be made eithertransparent or translucent, and the same may be tinted if desired toproduce color effects. 'In order to pick out the character elements 11,so that the'same stand out clearly and definitely I may provide the mainbody of the sheet of pyroxylin material lO either on the face thereof oron the rear side thereof, with a background material of contrastingcoloror of a character adapted to render the sheet body opaque, in theareas thereof surrounding the characters 11 while the said charac tersremain transparent or translucent as thecase may be. Such form of signwould be substantially that shown in Figure 3, but without theperforationsin the sheet body, which will be hereinafter referred to.-The sign body thus comprised is adapted to be easily applied and affixedto a show window or other similar place by means of cement or:

ployed in the above described views to-indiany other convenient form ofattaching means 1 so that the sign may be easily read in daylight, whilein :the dark or at night light from the interior of the show window maybe transmitted through the characters nate the same.

I have shown in the drawings another development of the sign structure,the basic character sheet of which, however, comprises the sheet oftransparent or translucent pyroxylin material 10 having. integral there:with the raised characters or the like 11, and V which is arranged toreceive the assembly therewith of a background sheet 12'havingperforations or cut-out portions 13 to cor- 11 to illumirespond to theparticular letters, numerals or other symbols making up the sign legendor display. The background sheet 12 is preferably made of sheet metaland is consequently opaque. The exposed surface of the metal backgroundsheet may be painted, enamelled or otherwise treated for the productionof such color effects as may be desired. In order to firmly and securelyengage the background sheet 12 in desired superimposed and attachedrelation to the character bearing sheet 10, and so as to closelyinterfit the two sheets without bulges, gapings or other undesirableeffects likely to mar the finished appearance of the sign. I provide inthe character bearing sheet 10, at various points adjacent to theletters or other char acters 11, perforations or slots 14. In stampingout the perforations or cut-out portions 13 of the background sheet 12provision is made to produce at the sametime in connection with themargins of the perforation or cut-out portions 13, a plurality of lugsor ears 15 corresponding to the relative positions of the perforationsor slots 14 associated with the characters 11 of the character sheet 10;said series of lugs or ears 15 thus integrally formed with backgroundsheet 12 are adapted to be initially turned at right angles thereto soas to extend rearwardly therefrom. When assembling the background sheet12 with the character sheet 10, the perforations or cut-portions 13 ofthe former are registeredover the corresponding character 11 of thelatter, and when so related the lugs or cars 15 will be opposed to theslots or perforations 14 so that as the background sheet is superimposedupon the character sheet the letters or other characters 11 will projectthrough the perforations or cut-out portions 13 of the background sheet,and the lugs or ears 15 ofthe background sheet will extend rearwardlythrough the slots or perforations 14 of the character sheet.

whereupon said lugs or ears 15 are turned or clinched over the rear faceof said character sheet 10 in the manner clearly shown in Figures 5 and6 of the drawings. It will thus be apparent that the background sheet 12and character bearing sheet '10 will be securely interlocked together ata multiplicity of points closely adjacent to the respectivelettersmaking up the signlegend, and consequently the background sheetwill be smoothly retained in the desired superimposed relation to thecharacter sheet and in such manner that the raised characters 11 of thelatter will project through the perforations or cut-out portions 18 ofthe background sheet so as to stand out in relief relative to the facethereof. In cases where the sign legend includes letters, numerals, orsymbols having portions entirely encircling or isolating a portion ofthe background, as is the case with letters such as, O, B, R, D, P, A,etc. I provide supplemental background pieces 12' having integraltherewith, and so as to extend rearwardly from some portion of theperiphery thereof, attaching ears or lugs 15; and in connection with thecharacter sheet 10 I provide, within and adjacent to such encircling orbackground isolating portions of the letters or character 11, additionalslots 14. Either before or after the main background sheet 12 isapplied, I then apply the supplemental background pieces 12 at theproper points and in association with the proper letters or othercharacters so that the lugs or ears 15 thereof are caused to extendthrough the perforations or slots 14', and are thereupon clinched overon the rear side of the character sheet 10 so as to retain saidsupplemental background pieces in operative assembled position.

In the form of sign construction last above described, the metalbackground sheet 12 will give rigidity to the completed sign, whileatthe same time affording an opaque background so that illumination ofthesign will only be ransmitted through the letters or characters 11. Ifdesired, the metal background sheet may be made somewhat larger in diorother fastening means; or the same may 7 be arranged for suspensionagainst a window or other'glass; or thesame may be arranged in a mannerto form an illuminated panel in connection withvarious forms ofadvertising devices. I I

It will be understood that signs constructed and prepared in accordancewith the principles of this invention, as above specified, may be madein various sizes and so as to include more or less subject matter. Infact signs of considerable size and containing a considerable length ofreading matter may be produced without likelihood of bending, warping orother effects calculated to dis place the relation to the backgroundsheet to the character sheet for the reason that said respective sheetsare interlocked together by the lugs 15 and corresponding perforations14 at a great many variously located points throughout the entire areaof the sign.

It will be obvious that many changes could be made in the abovedescribed construction any many widely different embodiments of thisinvention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it istherefore intended that all matter contained in the above description.or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim I 1. A sign structure, comprising a sheet 0 I light transmittingpyroxylin material, an

opaque background sheet cut out to correspond to characters making upthe sign display and superimposed uponsaid pyroxylin sheet, saidackground sheet having rearwardly projecting lugs integral therewith andextending rearwardly therefrom in connection with the margins of thecutouts corresponding to the characters making up the sign display, saidpyroxylin sheet having openings therethrough to receive said lugs, andthe free ends of said lugs being clinched over the rear face of saidpyroxylin sheet to raised relief relative to the face plane of saidsheet, said pyroxylin sheet having at least one opening through itsbodyadjacent each of its characters, symbols or the like, a backgroundsheet perforated to correspond in kind and location with saidcharacters, symbols or the like and adapted to be superimposed upon theface of said pyroxylin sheet so that said character, symbols or the likeproject through the perforations thereof, and said background sheethaving rearwardly projecting lugs corresponding in location with theopenings in said pyroxylin sheet so as to extend therethrough intoclinched over relation to the rear face thereof.

3. A sign structure, comprising a sheet of light transmitting pyroxylinmaterial having integral therewith a plurality of characters making upthe sign display, and outwardly pressed therefrom in raised reliefrelative to the face plane of said sheet, said p-yroxylin sheet havingopenings at points coincident with the junctures of its charactersthere-V with an opaque metallic background sheet perforated tocorrespond in kind and locaintegral therewith a plurality of charactersmaking up the sign display, and outwardly pressed therefromin raisedrelief relative to the face plane of said sheet, said pyroxylin sheethaving openings at points coincident with the junctures of itscharacters therewith, an opaque metallic background sheet perforated tocorrespond in kind and location with the characters of said sign displayand adapt ed to be superimposed upon said pyroxylin sheet so that saidcharacters of the. latter projects through said correspondingperforations of the former, and said background sheet having lugsintegral therewith and springing from the margins of its characterreceiving perforations, saidlugs being adapted to extend through saidopenings of said pyroxylin sheet in clinched over relation to the rearface thereof whereby said background sheet and pyroxylin sheet are boundtogether at points adjacent to each sign character displayed, and"supplementary background elementsfor insertion in isolated areasentirely surrounded by sign character formations, said supplementarybackground elements also having lugs extending throughsaid pyroxylinsheet into clinched over relation to the rear face thereof. 7

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 4th day of October, 1927.

LEONARDO. LOTZ. .r

tion with the characters of said sign display and adapted to besuperimposed upon said pyroxylin sheet so that said characters of thelatter projects through said corresponding perforations of the former,and said background sheet having lugs integral therewith and springingfrom the margins'of its character receiving perforations, said lugsbeing adapted to extend through said openings of said pyroXylin sheet inclinched over relation to the rear face thereof whereby said backgroundsheet and pyroxylin sheet are bound together at points adjacent to .eachsign character displayed. I V I l 4. A sign structure,comprising a sheetof light transmitting pyroxylin material having

